Journal

Not a Maddy's birthday post. Actually about four other things.

This photo of a happy birthday girl and her birthday car is deceptive.

Four quick links I've not posted here.

First: On September 26th I'll be one of four authors (Karen Hesse, Grace Lin and Jerry Spinelli are the other three, which is wonderful company) being honoured at Boston Public Library. It's a fundraiser ( "Proceeds from this event will fund children’s services and special programs for children and young adults.") and the event is ticketed. There will be a signing afterwards open to the public, though.

Today’s secret words are alter ego: Paul Reubens, the artist known forever in our hearts as Pee-wee Herman, will make a rare out-of-character appearance as himself for a public interview as part of the 11th annual New Yorker Festival in October, its organizers said on Tuesday. Other performers and authors who will appear in conversations with that magazine’s contributors include the “Office” star Steve Carell, the actress Patricia Clarkson, the musician James Taylor, the fantasy writer Neil Gaiman and the filmmaker Werner Herzog.

The festival, which runs from Oct. 1 through 3, will also feature panel discussions on “Saturday Night Live,” with Seth Meyers and other cast members, and moderated by The New Yorker editor, David Remnick; vampires in popular culture, featuring Stephen King and the “Twilight” screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg and moderated by Joan Acocella...

I'll be interviewed by Dana Goodyear, who did the profile of me in the New Yorker earlier this year. Tickets and the schedule will go up on http://www.newyorker.com/festival on September 10th.

And third...

At the end of October is the House on the Rock American Gods event, "A Low Key Gathering". (Details and information at http://thehouseontherockjournal.blogspot.com/).There's a benefit being organised by the Thingies (those stalwart individuals who have been with us since the dawn days of alt.fan.neilgaiman), and I've donated a handful of things to their auction, things I found in the attic. The auction is to help bring long-term fans in, and anything left over will go to the CBLDF. MistressMousey donated cool stuff (including one of the limited run of Sandman 8s), as has Kitty from Neverwear.

Up in the attic there are boxes. I went and found three things I've donated to actions once or twice before, and one thing that's never been up for sale ever - the limited prints I do every few years for friends (they are meant to be out for the holidays but sometimes wind up being sent out in February): The Dangerous Alphabet and Instructions both began life like that. My poem, A Writer's Prayer was done as a limited edition print, too, and I donated one of each.

My story "Nicholas Was...", was first published as a Christmas Card calligraphed by Dave McKean (with a copyright notice by me). I sent most of them out, but there were still a few unsent once all had been sent. About a decade ago, I was offered $1000 as a donation to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for one of the originals, and I resolved to try and find one, and I failed, and have long-since lost the information of the person who offered it. (If you're reading this, please let me know through the FAQ line.) But there was some tidying and moving of stuff last year, and a handful of the original Christmas Cards surfaced.